Silhouette
by ariviand
Summary: One-shot. Missing shower scene from Between Burroughs by ariviand, but can be read as a stand-alone moment of Malecy goodness.
1. Shower

**Silhouette  
**missing scene from Between Burroughs

by ariviand

**A/N: **So I'm a firm believer in keeping a fic's T-rating once I've started. I try to tone down the language and mature content, no matter how tempting it may be to cross the line. This is one scene I thought about detailing in Between Burroughs, but for obvious reasons, I think if I had included it, it would have crossed a definite line. So, instead you probably thought I was a tease.

Well, I'm hoping to make up for it now. Here's a what-if one-shot, on what you _might_ have read if that part had made it into the story.

**Disclaimer: **Both characters depicted in this ficlet are from The Mortal Instruments, and belong solely to Cassandra Clare.

**One last warning: **This is an M-rated read. M for mature material, M for Malec, M for mmmmgoodness. You were warned. Read at your own risk.

* * *

_Excerpt from Ch. 51 of Between Burroughs:_

"Come. I'll make it up to you."

"I'm not ready for coffee," Alec replied.

"That's not what I had in mind," Magnus replied, ominous.

Alec started to look away as Magnus rose from the bed. He was expecting the sheet to pull away from the tan skin, and there to be nothing all the way down but bare warlock - But then he caught the flash of black material, and he was surprised to find Magnus had changed into a pair of boxers. They were small and tight and very shiny, but still, a welcome layer that hung low on his hips and kept him for the most part covered as Magnus headed into Alec's bathroom, starting the hot water.

Well, that had been the first item on his agenda. Alec couldn't deny that it was welcome, when the steam from the shower began to trickle into the bedroom, warming Alec's face.

But he didn't expect to see the black material clearly hit the floor through the steam. Eyes gone wide, Alec heard the shower curtain rattle as Magnus stepped into the shower himself, his silhouette still visible through the thin material of the curtain.

This was one line they had not crossed, and if not for that single word of invitation, Alec would have thoroughly talked himself out of it, convinced that Magnus intended to shower alone from the beginning, and he wasn't asking Alec to get out of bed and join him.

But that one word clearly proved that Magnus wanted him to join, was perhaps even daring the shadowhunter to conquer his fear and reservations, and go for it.

It wasn't like Alec to back down from his fears, especially when this had nothing to do with the threat of death, a vicious demon, or even anything remotely painful.

His boyfriend wanted him to join him in a shower. Spelled out like that, it didn't sound all that frightening. It was only the part about there being no clothing between them that gave Alec pause.

That was a fairly significant detail.

_But you walked into the fire to find him. _

All he had to do now was remove his pants, cross the room, pull the curtain aside and step into a steaming shower.

As Alec remained alone in the unmade bed, the breeze coming through the broken window making gooseflesh break out across his arms, he heard the scrape of the metal rings against the bar and the crinkle of the shower curtain.

Then Magnus's voice, calling over the water.

"Alec?"

* * *

Alec bit his lip, as if prevent himself from automatically replying to that call.

But if he didn't respond, Magnus might wonder at his silence. He might be concerned. He might be able to smell Alec's fear in his hesitation.

And so Alec released his lower lip and found his voice. "What is it?"

"Are you coming?" Magnus replied, his voice wavering behind the curtain. It was the echo of the tile, the water also obscuring the sound. It gave the warlock's voice an almost vulnerable quality that wasn't actually there, but Alec responded to, all the same.

The shadowhunter swallowed, shivering in the cold of the bedroom.

The shower was bound to be warm and comforting, whereas sitting there in the middle of the abandoned bed with the harsh morning chill breezing against his naked back, that was not.

In the bedroom, he was alone and an outsider. In the bathroom, his boyfriend waited for him, his silhouette moving fluidly behind the light shower curtain, making it seem transparent. Alec could clearly make out the shape of Magnus's thigh as he turned, his loose, wet hair flicked back off his face and clinging to the nape of his neck as he stepped back into the spray of water. The jet hit his back and trailed down his body, showering against the floor of the bath at his feet.

Alec listened to the even cadence of the water, the different notes of it hitting the walls versus the softer way it smacked against Magnus's skin and trickled down. The shower curtain shifted and crinkled every few seconds as if the warlock was brushing up against it as he moved.

Then there was a low sound of approval. It was a moan. Eyes wide, Alec lifted his chin and watched Magnus's silhouette as his head tipped back and the water hit his throat. Both long-fingered hands were sifting back through the warlock's hair, guiding water through the loose strands.

Outside, the early morning traffic roared, horns blaring, brakes protesting. Someone shouted from the street corner, receiving an answering shout full of expletives.

It was surprising how well Alec managed to ignore the jarring background noise, and yet, how strongly attuned he was to every single noise that came from the bathroom. He thought he heard the press of a wet hand against tile, the shower curtain crinkling again.

Compelled towards these sounds and the feeling of warmth, Alec finally rose from the bed. The sheet slipped, releasing him. The floor was cold beneath his feet, but Alec's face was warm. Maybe it was the steam from the bathroom. Maybe it was how self-conscious he felt, entering into the small room where he had to step over Magnus's discarded boxers in order to cross the threshold.

As soon as he did, Alec reached for the doorknob and slid the bathroom door shut behind with a resounding click, closing them off in the humid room. It was final. It was done.

And the shower went silent, save for the constantly running water.

Then Magnus's voice, calling over the water.

"Alec?"


	2. Shampoo

**Silhouette  
**missing scene from Between Burroughs

by ariviand

**Disclaimer: **Both characters depicted in this ficlet are from The Mortal Instruments, and belong solely to Cassandra Clare.

**Warning: **This is an M-rated read. M for mature material, M for Malec, M for mmmmgoodness. You were warned. Read at your own risk.

* * *

"Alec?"

The water ran steadily in the silence that followed, the thin shower curtain the only thing standing between them. Alec stared at Magnus's silhouette, which stilled beneath the spray as he waited for some response. Surely he heard the door click shut, probably could not mistake Alec's heavy breathing, even over the sound of the jets.

"Yes," Alec answered in a soft, still uncertain voice. He leaned back into the closed door, as far as he could physically get from the looming shower.

Then the shower curtain was being inched to the side, metal rings scraping across the bar and Magnus's dripping hair and moist face appeared in the opening.

"You kept me waiting long enough," he teased. His pale eyes passed over Alec, offering him a vague smile. And then the shower curtain slid back into place and Magnus's silhouette was in motion again, stepping back under the spray of the water.

Alec released a relieved breath, relaxing once the attention was off him again.

He could still change his mind. A closed door and the proximity of the shower, it didn't mean he was forced to continue on the same path. He could still turn around and walk out and leave Magnus to finish his shower alone. Alec reminded himself of this and he felt marginally better.

By the same token, he had come this far, Magnus had seen him, spoken with him, and was even now waiting for him. He had been waiting on him for several minutes. It had taken Alec this long just to find the resolve to get out of bed and cross the room.

Surprisingly, the water was still warm. In a place as vast as the Institute, one would think there'd be a water heater strong enough to support multiple, lengthy showers in a short span of time, but the truth was, they were usually restricted to five-minute showers, with no guarantee that the cold water wouldn't rush in at the three minute mark and freeze them out. So Alec had grown accustomed to washing his hair and rinsing off in record time.

But he should have known Magnus would not be rushed. Everything about his grooming habits was rituatlized and careful, and of course, showering would be no exception. In as far as he could tell, Magnus had done nothing more in this span of time than wet his hair, and let the water pass over him, enjoying the warmth. He didn't smell shampoo or soap or body wash. And the hot water was being wasted. It was only going to last so long.

Biting his lower lip in indecision, Alec listened as the warlock started to hum. There was the snap of a bottle cap, and then the familiar scent of shampoo Alec used, a clean, simple scent. Alec vaguely wondered if Magnus would approve. It wasn't a salon product, or anything terribly expensive. It was just a generic, functional bottle of shampoo.

"Mm," Magnus murmured. In the shadow behind the curtain, he appeared to be rubbing his palms together. Then Magnus lifted his hands, pushing his fingers back through his damp hair once more, lathering the shampoo into his scalp.

"Smells like Alec," he added on a purr.

Alec blushed, glad that the shower curtain stood between them, glad that he was still standing outside of it, leaning into the support of the door, where the warlock couldn't see him.

But somehow, he thought perhaps Magnus knew that it would affect him. Maybe he could see through the shower curtain, more than just a vague silhouette, because Magnus chuckled.

"It's just shampoo," Alec retorted, a little snappy. It was a weak defense against Magnus's teasing, but his irritation allowed him to focus on something else, something other than Magnus's throaty laugh or the way the warlock arched his back as he ran his fingers through his hair, or the shape of his form beyond that arching back, which was not in the least obscured by the shower curtain.

"I love the smell," Magnus replied, taking his damned time washing his hair. The shower curtain rippled as the warlock's elbow accidentally nudged it. Alec glanced away, trying not to stare. He heard the fluid movement of Magnus's feet shifting, moving around in the shower. When he chanced another look up, Alec realized Magnus had turned around and was rinsing the shampoo out under the spray, his fingers lifted into his hair, coaxing the strands beneath the pressure of the water.

"You're going to run out of hot water soon," Alec pointed out, though the warning came out more breathless than he'd intended.

"Then you'd better get in before it's too late," Magnus said, shaking out his hair.

The shower curtain rippled again. As Alec watched, Magnus's tall silhouette turned to face him. Alec thought he caught the flicker of those fingers gesturing for him to come closer.

Face warming up again, the steam making his skin prickle, Alec's fingers moved cautiously to the button at the top of his pants.

After a silent prayer, Alec plucked the metal button until it broke free of the loop, then the zipper buzzed on his fly. It was far too loud in the small room and Alec cringed.

Then his pants were joining Magnus's on the floor, near the door.


	3. Stare

**Silhouette  
**missing scene from Between Burroughs

by ariviand

**Disclaimer: **Both characters depicted in this ficlet are from The Mortal Instruments, and belong solely to Cassandra Clare.

**Warning: **This is an M-rated read. M for mature material, M for Malec, M for mmmmgoodness. You were warned. Read at your own risk.

* * *

"Where's your loofa?" Magnus asked, his face upturned to the water.

"My _what_?" Alec paused, standing stiff and awkward a foot from the closed curtain.

"That ruffled accessory on a rope you lather body wash with?"

"Umm."

"You don't have one?" Magnus's silhouette stilled, the shadow of his hands cupped beneath the water.

"No? I just use my hands."

There was a scoffing sound behind the curtain and Magnus continued rinsing the water from his hair, or whatever it is he was doing. "Of course you do."

Alec frowned, taking that comment as an insult. But Alec thought it was more practical, using your hands to wash rather than buying...unnecessary things on ropes. That was something girls gave each other as presents, useless toiletries that would probably remain in the shrink wrap.

Alec only kept things he absolutely needed, which is exactly why his bedroom and bathroom were so sparse and impersonal - not that he expected the warlock to understand, with his cosmetic jars and overflowing closet. Magnus's bathroom was full of so many colorful bottles Alec thought he needed an upgrade, just to have a bathroom large enough to accommodate his things. Magnus would probably agree. He had said once that apartments in Brooklyn were hideously overpriced, and the bathrooms and kitchens were practically broom closets.

The bathrooms within the Institute weren't much bigger than that, which is why Alec felt a little trapped. There really was nowhere to go. One real step away from the door and he'd be climbing into the shower. Alec almost had to arch away just to keep his distance. The shower curtain billowed from the slight breeze created by the showering water, and he could hear everything from the other side, even Magnus's breathing.

"But feel free to lather up and put your hands on me."

Alec blinked, lifting his chin. He wasn't sure he'd heard correctly - that is, that Magnus had actually spoken. The room was so quiet. And then he imagined Magnus said...that.

But then Magnus chuckled again, a teasing, raspy sound, and Alec realized it wasn't his imagination.

He was so awkward at this. It was ridiculous. Why did he ever think that he even remotely suited a glittery warlock with hundreds of years of experience with men and women, someone who had absolutely no qualms about stripping in front of his boyfriend and walking into the shower in wait for him, who had probably showered with more people than Alec could count on his fingers and toes - not that Alec really wanted to know the truth of that. It probably wouldn't make him feel any better, or boost his confidence.

On the other hand, he was a shadowhunter. Alec was specially trained to square off with the most vicious demons imaginable, monsters with gnashing teeth and frightful eyes and every kind of physical deformity. They were oversized, unnaturally fast, and reeked of death and the hellish dimensions they hailed from. If Alec could square off against something like that without turning and running, if he could raise his blade and keep from recoiling, why then was he hesitating when he was faced with _Magnus_?

Why was he? Hadn't they just spent a majority of the night kissing and clinging to one another with abandon? The door to Alec's bedroom was broken, the window to the street shattered. Anyone could have heard. Anyone could have walked in at any time, and Alec wasn't concerned. Now they were alone. It was just Alec and Magnus and a closed, locked door, the pounding water bound to drown out any soft noise they might make if someone was listening on the other side of the wall.

The thought made Alec blush. But it was also fortifying.

There was nothing to be afraid of. Lingering outside of the shower was just self-punishment and self-doubt. Alec's skin prickled with gooseflesh, protesting to the cooler air as the humidity teased his arms and legs and slithered down his back.

Taking a deep breath in, Alec reached out, letting his fingers brush the shower curtain. A small retraction of his wrist and the curtain gave, sliding across the metal rings, giving him enough room to step inside. He steeled himself for the first meeting, getting a glimpse of bare tile and moisture beading along the wall.

Alec stepped over the tub carefully until both feet were firmly planted. He let the shower curtain fall back into place behind him.

"Close the curtain all the way," Magnus murmured, glancing over one shoulder and away again. It was enough to make Alec shiver, without feeling too self-conscious. The warlock's eyes had peeked only briefly before withdrawing from Alec's body. "You'll let all the warmth out," Magnus added, tipping his head back.

Mesmerized by the view, Alec hesitated to respond to his request. He was staring at Magnus's naked back, the way the water beaded behind his shoulders and trailed down the slope of his spine, the way the ends of his hair tickled the dip between his shoulder blades, flattening out. And beneath the fall of Magnus's wet hair, there was soft, lightly tanned skin uninterrupted all the way down...

Swallowing, Alec reached out again, blindly groping for the material. He mechanically jerked the shower curtain the rest of the way closed, sealing the humidity inside. He could immediately feel the difference, when the cooler air was blocked off from his left side.

Alec stood back almost pressed against the shower wall, in the same way he had hugged the door, only now he wasn't watching Magnus's silhouette maneuver behind a translucent shower curtain. There was nothing but air and a brief space between them. The warmth coming off the water formed a steamy mist between their bodies, and Alec felt compelled to step closer to it.

There was so much more for his eyes to absorb, now that Magnus wasn't just a shadow. Alec focused on the warlock's bright nails as they slid through his hair, disappearing at the roots and reappearing at the ends, cupping the nape of his own neck, letting the water run through the parted strands.

Suddenly, Magnus turned around, the spray of the water claiming the back of his head and trailing down his shoulders. Alec could feel a few fly-away drops of water ricocheting off his boyfriend's back in his direction.

Alec froze as Magnus stared back at him, his green-gold eyes intense.

The shadowhunter wished he had the barrier of the shower curtain again, that he could hide behind a vague silhouette, instead of standing naked beneath that stare.


	4. Soap

**Silhouette  
**missing scene from Between Burroughs

by ariviand

**Disclaimer: **Both characters depicted in this ficlet are from The Mortal Instruments, and belong solely to Cassandra Clare.

**Warning: **This is an M-rated read. M for mature material, M for Malec, M for mmmmgoodness. You were warned. Read at your own risk.

* * *

The water continued to run. Alec's feet were covered in at least an inch or two of water as the smallish drain struggled to keep up with the output of the jets. It was enough to contrast the warmth of his feet with the cool exposure of his body.

Alec wasn't sure he had ever felt quite so naked.

It would be one thing if he was standing under the spray of the water, warm and encased in liquid heat. Or maybe if Magnus wasn't _staring _at him so intensely. It's not like he didn't take a shower every day, absolutely naked. And he was fine with that.

But being absolutely naked around Magnus, that was something he wasn't used to. And Magnus was hoarding the one distraction and comfort the shower had to offer. The least he could do was trade places with Alec, in the hope of easing some of his discomfort.

"Do you ever think of me when you shower?" Magnus asked, suddenly breaking the silence.

"What?" Alec replied stupidly, recoiling as much as he could with the tile wall at his back, refusing to let him retreat any more.

"When you're running your bare hands over your skin and your eyes are closed, and you just relax into the warmth of the water, do you think of me then?"

"I..." Alec started, unable to finish the sentence, or even complete the thought in his mind. His eyes were wide and struggling. This was new territory, the cooperative shower and the intimate teasing, and maybe it was just a little too much at once.

"Here," Magnus breathed, moving forward. Alec sucked in a nervous breath, bracing himself for the contact between them that seemed immanent. Alec's body tensed up, his mind issuing the warning. What was he really going to do when Magnus reached for him? Swat him away? Back up even more? There was nowhere to go.

But there was no time to calculate his next move. Magnus's long arm was extending, his hand moving towards Alec, his fingers brushing the shadowhunter's arm.

Alec refused to breathe. He couldn't even move.

Magnus's fingers curled into Alec's upper arm, gently squeezing. Then with a light pressure, he guided Alec forward, leading him. At the same time, Magnus edged the rest of the way, trying to slide into the small space along the opposite wall in order to trade places with Alec.

It was a subtle, graceful maneuver on Magnus's part, and before Alec realized exactly what was happening, he was standing beneath the spray of water, lucky not to have slipped on the slick shower floor.

It took him by surprise, the shock of the hot jets spraying his chest and trailing down his torso, pounding at his feet. It felt really good, that heat, chasing away the chill in Alec's body.

Unfortunately, it didn't entirely comfort him. He was still standing there naked, with his back to Magnus now. Alec's exposed back wished to hide as completely as his front - or at least have the illusion of being concealed. And he couldn't deny that he felt the warlock's eyes on him, just as surely as they had been staring at Alec before, when they were facing one another. Alec was still tense, unsure of exactly what he was supposed to do. Wash and pretend Magnus wasn't standing there, watching him? Just stand under the water long enough to wet his hair, then move away to lather the shampoo in, so Magnus could have the water back? He didn't have anything to go on! Unfortunately, his extensive shadowhunter training didn't cover What to Do When You Share a Shower with Your Boyfriend.

Fortunately, Magnus's soft voice interrupted Alec's frenzied thought processes, guiding him once more.

"Close your eyes," Magnus murmured.

Alec's brows were drawn in confusion, not sure what the point was. But he listened to that coaxing voice and he closed his eyes, shivering as the water continued to run down his body, his skin warming to the constant flow of heat, absorbing some of it.

There was a plastic snap. Alec jumped slightly at the sound, but tried to keep his eyes closed. He recognized the little noise. It was the top on the bottle of body wash being opened. Soon the fragrance tickled his nose and he was certain that Magnus was handling it.

There was no doubt when Alec felt the warlock's smooth fingers brush the outside of his wrist. The shadowhunter's hand hung awkwardly at his side, and Alec tried to remain still as Magnus encircled his wrist, turning his hand a little until he felt the semi-solid soap fill his palm. Apparently Magnus wanted him to wash his body.

Since that was the entire point in showering, Alec leapt at the chance to do something constructive and get his mind off the naked warlock standing behind him. Lifting his hand, Alec brought both palms together, rubbing the lather between them, before passing the body-wash coated skin over the opposite arms, across his chest, down the path of his stomach. It left a tickling film and the waft of a clean scent, which Alec appreciated after being coated in dirt and smoke and sweat. It also felt nice to massage the sore muscles. Fortunately the soap allowed for a gentle glide of his palms, which were otherwise coarse and calloused, not to mention faintly scarred.

Alec suppressed another shiver as his pores awakened to the attention, tingling happily. It was always a pleasant feeling, being clean, coupled with the warmth of the water. It was one of the few times Alec could say he actually felt content, during his few minutes worth of a shower, when the endless chill of his body was chased away, when he had no concerns beyond getting the shampoo out of his hair and finishing his shower before the hot water ran out.

Speaking of that, Alec really didn't have time to drag this out. He remembered the time that had already passed with the hot water running, so much of it wasted as he stood outside the shower deliberating. Alec tried to make up for it now; he was quick to step more fully beneath the spray in order to rinse off the rest of the body wash.

He had almost forgotten he had a silent witness. Almost.

That is, until Magnus spoke again, his voice very near Alec's ear - which meant the rest of the warlock was also _very close_ as well. "I think of you."

_By the angel._

Alec's eyes were wide open again, staring desperately at the opposite wall as if the misty tile would tell him what to do. _  
_


End file.
